Apparatus for metallurgical and other purposes



HUB. HOVLAND.

APPARATUS 0R METALLURGHIAL AND OTHER PURPOSES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.Z,19I8.

Patented July w 19%.

3 SHEEISSHEEI l.

m v\ wwm v .1 a r 2% v/M M w L 2 K 5. J w 1 2 y Ii.. 2 i z I 4 21 w m WA H B. HUVLANDI APPARATUS FOR METALLURGICAL AND OTHER PURPOSES.

APPLICAHON FILED FEB. 2. IQIS- L845:5,5@6. A Patfilltfid y 1920..

in ueutoz H. HOVLAND. APPARATUS FOR METALLURGICAL AND OTHER PURPOSES.

- APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2. 1918 345 59 Patenfvd July 6,, L920.

4 'SHEE?S- SHLEI 3.

(114 uaM toz dioxid or other reactive gases, for the flotationof ores, etc.

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STATES HENRY CB. HO'VLANID, ZTJMBEWTA, MINNESOTA.

nrraanrus Fora ivrnra'ztnunercar. alvn o'rrnrta mamas,

lb all whom it may concern 1 Be it known that I, HENRY B. Hovmnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at @umbrota, in the county of Goodhue and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for :Metallurgical and other Purposes, of which the following is a specification.

Thisinvention relates to apparatus for use in the chemical and metallurgical arts, and

more particularly for, effecting a thorough agitation of liquids or mixtures, and for bringing gases, including air, into intimate contact with liquids, or with suspensions of solids in liquids. For example, the apparatus may be used for such diverse purposes as the treatment of ore pulps with sulfur A characteristic feature of the apparatus in its preferred embodiment is the provision of a rotatable agitator or beater having a pendulous' mounting, whereby the agitator shaft or equivalent element, although carried by a fixed support, is to a certain extent free todepart or swing from what may be termed its normal axis of rotation, whereby heavy strains and excessive wear upon fixed bearings are largely relieved. In case it is (161p sired to effect anintimate contact between a liquid and a gas, or between two liquids, or to establish a definite movement or flow of a fluid, (liquid or gas) or for similar purposes, the agitator shaft is preferably made tubular and is provided at its lower portion with a fluid-distributer, whereby certain important advantages are secured.

Certain typical embodiments of the apparatus are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein--- l l?- gure 1 1s a central vertical sectional view of one form of apparatus embodying specification of matters Patent.

Application filed February a, rare. Serial No. trailer.

Patented July 6, 19%0.

vertical strips 2 to prevent swirlin of the contents. The (vessel may be pr ovi ed with a cover ,3 and a valved gas outlet 4:. Within the vessel is an agitator or stirring device, which in the particular form chosen for illustration comprises a fluid-distributer 5 of the turbine type, carried by a tubular agitator shaft 6. 7 (Fig. 2) represents one forrrr of turbine blade.

8 1s a driving shaft, also illustrated as tubular, carried 1n upper and lower bearings 9, 10, and adapted to be driven by'any ap- U propriate means, typified by a pulley 11., As shown the driving shaft traverses a casing 12 WllItCh s surmounted by a cap 13 carrying a valved inlet pipe 1 1. lln this case, there, fore, a direct passage for gas is, provided from the inlet 14: through the tubular driving and agitator shafts Band 6 to the fluiddistributer 5. When the shaft is rotatedat an appropriate speed a gas supplied at it is drawn downwardly to the distributer 5 and s QJGClZGfl in the form of bubbles into the liquld. A properly constructed device, operating at a sufiicient speed, is capable of delivering enormous volumes of gas below the surface of a liquid or suspension. The gas-volume so delivered is dependent, for a given type of construction, upon the speed of rotation of the agitator shaft, and is,

For some 3 therefore, readily controllable. purposes, speeds of 1500-2000 B. P. M. and upward are desirable.

As is well known the wear upon fixed bearings due to the rotation of a heavy agitator difficulty may be minimized by such mountlng of the agitator that it is capable of a pendulatory movement; or in other words, the agitator proper is free to rotate upon an axis which need not coincide absolutely with the axis ofthe driving shaft. This result may be attained through numerous constructions. For example as illustrated in Fig. 1 the agitator shaft b carries an approximately a hemispherical support 15, which rests upon a fixed, conformed supporting plate 16, se cured to the cover 8 of, the container 1, whereby the agitator shaft is permitted a pendulatory movement, the extent of which may be limited by any appropriate means, as for example a fixed stop-ring 1'2. In or,

der, however, to permit this pendulatory movement of the agitator shaft it is necessary to provide a flexible or yielding con is extremely severe. l have found that this llltl Hed t t t rst driving ha t la t e sultable theifl P ce at ta' will r-be'siunder m il l" of "accomplishingithev *1 the x a the:

form-ofa stufiin "bok. The casing 32 is carried by the con ormed supporting plate 36, and is capgble of limited movement thereon, the parts constituting ineffect a supporting bearingfifor" the 'agitatoq-shaft of the ball and-socket type. 37 is an annular retaining srin ior the imotor casing, servin tatoru' 38 is 'a stop-which coacts with t recess'39 in the motor casing and serves to prevent the. latter fromrevo vi within, its "36?40f4l representsin uction'and ediiction pipe forair fol-cooling. the motor; a valved inlet pipe communicating 'external' casing 43, and'p'ermitting interior of the tubular shaftlfi. it 44 repre- 1" sents another-inlet to the shaft 6 capable of ting closed-"by rotation ofithe encircling structiion ',=neverthelessailiordsthe same ositive'i s'upportfora revolvingv agitator =s iaft,

while'atthe same time permitting itlimited freedom to*depalt'iromiitsnormal-axis of.

A further modification illustratedin Figs, and 6,*=which construction also hing the armamr and rotates I or; other suitable closure 'a d'j iist'able' y'be{tubu1aras sh e is rigidly illustrates oneway in which my improved device-'mayflreadily be "adapted {to existing stirrers or heaters; i In this. constructionv represents a driving-shaft provided with a pulley "51fand mounted in fixedbearings 52, 53: Theidrivin'gshaft 50 is tapered at its low r' end and-terminates in aball ,5-1-which may beinte'gral with the shaft The agiutter shaft- 6," which may be vtubular as shown, 'carrie's a cup-shaped -member 23 withim'Which is securely fastened a con- 'Jlin'g blOckor member 56. Thisblock comprises a lower cross-shaped member 57 lying within the' cup 23 and providing between its cross armsapertures- 58 (Fig. 5) for the inflow *ofifluidyand anupper member 59 which receives the ball 54 and provides therewitlnin conjunction withthe retaining member 6O,"a ball and socket joint, There is, therefore, provided in this case also a mounting permitting a p'endular movement "oftheagitator shaftr Asin Fig. 1 the driving connection between the shafts 50 and 6 is the 'substantia l helical spring member 18.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art; that the constructions above described may-bemodified in .various ways, without departin firom my: invention, which contemplates broadly :the provision ;of a pendulous agitator 1 of the rotary type.

I claim H '1. 'Apparatus of the character described, I comprising a vertical self-centering agitator shaft'nonnally; revolubleabout a fixed axis, 1 means} for permitting: a; pendulatory movealso to, limit thependulatory movement 0 the agie I observe d that although inthis W construction there "is no yielding connection. betx'veeii dllifing and; drivenshafts, the con stitch and means for re roaf, meat for restrainir tory .t

it, Apparatus of the character described, y, romprisi ,a; a vertical seifcenterinyr agitator eh aft normally rerohihie about a hired airis, means for permitting; a pendoiatory move ment ti not in different directions, means aininy; st ah pendrdatory. more i, and :tneans for rotating the shaft. rtpparatns t sing a yerticai seif-centerinpg' agitator norriaaiiy reroinbie about a fired a'iris, returns for permitti. a pendidatory more remit thereof in. di erent directions, means for restrainine, stitch penrhilatory more tnents, means for timiting the eirtetrt of carried aid shaft, t described, agitator having a a t, a aid-d the neby, and means for rrntatn ti, hpymratns of the charact eomprt. nrr a pendnio a ft sport pends. hnp; memb "ttor s1 he character described,

- fiorr of the fhtid 'throroare a.

comprising a dririr shaft, a tubular agi: tater stntft, a ihiid-t stribrrter carried there by, a support for said agitator shaft permit ting; a pendrdatory movement thereof, and a yieidinp; member coupling said driving and a gitator shafts.

10. Apparatus of the character described, comprising; a tubrdar driving: shaft, a tubuiar tator shaft, a fhiid-distributer car ried thereby, a support for said agitator shaft permitting" a pendidatory movement thereof, and a yielding member ceupiing said driving and agitator shafts.

1L apparatus of the character described, comprising a tubular driving shaft, a tnbir iar agitator shaft, a floiddistributer carried thereby, a support for said agitator shaft permitting" y aiatory movement thereof, and a ieid member conptinyg said drirn and a sh: ts, said yreid-- a constructed to afford comnninit a :h the interior of the ayritatorshaft,

.Ztpparatus of the character described, comprising a tiibuiar agitator shaft, a timid distribater carried thereby, an aperture commnnicatinp; With the interior of the shaft abovsaid distribirter, and an adjustabie c1osure for said aperture,

i i, tppaimtus of the character described, contipn a a etesed conh er hayinp; a iioid outlet, a tnbrdar agitator shaft therein, a

timid-distribater carried by said shaft, means for admitting finid to the interior of the shaft, and means for rotating; the agitator and thereby Jabiishintr a time of the fhiid tiiron z h the cont "ier,

it. it.pparatns or the character described, comprising a eiosed container hayin a finidontfet, a tnbahrr a itator shaft rein, a tinid-distributer carried by said shaft, adinstabie means for adro .np; fhiid to the interior of the shaft, and means for rotat ion; the agitator and thereby estabiishingr a h the container,

in testimony whereof If afiiir my signs, tore 'ffiithffti? id, f-ftdWfifiihtft.

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